Veterans suffering from PTSD may soon find help from an unlikely source.

The main ingredient of ecstasy, a psychedelic drug, was recently designated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a “breakthrough therapy” for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Typically used in recreational settings, MDMA’s effects have shown — throughout clinical trials — to significantly improve the mental well-being of individuals suffering from PTSD. With FDA cooperation, continued studies will soon get underway and will be led by the California-based nonprofit, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, or MAPS, an organization that has been researching the effects of MDMA for over 30 years. “For the first time ever, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy will be evaluated in Phase 3 trials for possible prescription use, with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD leading the way,” said Rick Doblin, founder and executive director of MAPS. PTSD,...